We need new drugs for mental ill-health | Letter

"It is not only veterans and emergency workers living with post-traumatic stress disorder who could benefit if ministers heed the call from Sir Nick Carter (Ex-British army chief calls on ministers to back MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans, 1 February). Thousands of people who have major mental illness, and those dealing with bereavement and trauma, could be helped too. The shocking lack of progress in developing transformative psychiatric medicines, and a dearth of innovation has left clinicians with few weapons in their armoury to relieve mental pain."

"Families and people scarred by long-term distress tell us they are desperate for new treatments and therapies. At the Prince of Wales International Centre for Sane Research, our research centre in Oxford, we host clinical trials researching the medical use of innovative interventions such as esketamine and cannabidiol for psychiatric ill-health. The government must prioritise research into alternative and more effective treatments, rather than relying on drugs invented and first made available over 60 years ago."

MDMA-assisted therapy could benefit not only veterans and emergency workers with PTSD but also thousands with major mental illness, bereavement and trauma. Progress in developing transformative psychiatric medicines has been shockingly slow, and a dearth of innovation has left clinicians with few effective options to relieve mental pain. Families and people scarred by long-term distress are desperate for new treatments and therapies. The Prince of Wales International Centre for Sane Research in Oxford hosts clinical trials of innovative interventions such as esketamine and cannabidiol for psychiatric ill-health. Government must prioritise research into alternative, more effective treatments rather than relying on drugs developed over sixty years ago.

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